The rules to playing slot machines are quite simple. A player deposits money and spins the reels. In a physical casino, the player spins the reels by either pushing a button or yanking on a lever. In an online casino, the player uses a mouse or any suitable computer key to click on the button or lever. A slot machine has one or more horizontal lines, or paylines, across the window of the slot machine. If a certain combination of symbols falls on a horizontal line when the reels stop, the player is a winner. Payouts vary by machine, and by the number of lines the player chooses to play.
In prior slot machines, the combination of symbols that line up on the reels of a slot machine is determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG). A RNG may also be used to determine the result of a roulette game or baccarat game that is executed on a video gaming machine. A RNG may be a computer program inside the machine that is used to generate a sequence of numbers in milliseconds. A random number generated by the RNG may correspond to a reel combination, to a pocket of a roulette wheel, or to a card for a baccarat game. Even when a video gaming machine is not being used, the RNG keeps doing its job of generating numbers. Whatever random number was generated the split second the player pulled the handle, spun the roulette wheel, or submitted a bet will result in the corresponding reel combination, card, or other game event that appears on the screen. The RNG does not care how much was bet, whether the player pulled the handle or hit the spin button, whether it is the player's first play or last, whether the player is winning or losing, or whether the player is playing with or without a slot card. It just continually generates random numbers. If the player happens to be the lucky player that plays the very split second the RNG generated a number corresponding to a winning result, the player will be a winner.